


The Evolution of Thought

by thejourneywithinme



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, marriage law
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-12 11:40:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29384280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thejourneywithinme/pseuds/thejourneywithinme
Summary: Panic. 'Breathe' her brain bagged for air. The words of headline would not leave her MARRIAGE LAW PASSES ALL ABLE TO PRODUCE HEIR MUST MARRY WITHIN THE YEAR!A story of healing and revealing true intentions.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson/Ron Weasley
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

Hermione Granger took a deep breath as she lifted her gaze to her parents sitting across from her. She quickly folded up The Profit.

"Something wrong dear?" Her mother sensing something was off.

"It's fine. Same things different day." Hermione replied in a rush. 'Lie' her brain screamed. However she continued to look her mother straight in the eye. There was something to be said about her experiences that aloud her to not even blink.

Jean Granger could sense it, Hermione knew. Since regaining their memories and returning to England at the end of Hermione's eighth year at school the relationship between them had been strained. Jean paused before answering wondering if they would ever have a truthful conversation worth any substance ever again.

"If your sure" She spoke quietly to her only daughter. She felt Hermione slip away further and further each second.

Hermione could feel the panic set in. Standing abruptly "I'm in need of sending a letter. If you will excuse me?" Grabbing the paper she rushed to the stairs and into her childhood room. She shut the door and whispered a wandless silencing charm, sliding down the closed door. The weight of what she just read crushing her lungs.

Panic. 'Breathe' her brain bagged for air. The words of headline would not leave her MARRIAGE LAW PASSES ALL ABLE TO PRODUCE HEIR MUST MARRY WITHIN THE YEAR!

. . .

It took her a long time to slow her breathing and in turn her pounding heart. Anger swept in filling the holes the panic had vacated within her. She started to shake. How dare they after everything. To forse this on anyone was barbaric.

She heard a tap on the window Pig was flapping his little body away. Rising and walking shackily to the window she let the poor bird into her room. She carefully untied the 3 different letters attached to his leg. Feeding him a treat "I will not be sending back a letter mister. You can rest for a while if you wish.

Leaving the little bird to its own devices she dropped the mail on her desk and folded herself under her blankets facing away from them. She had thought she had conquered her panic attacks she felt exhausted. 'Ingnore' her brains screamed.

'Sleep'


	2. Chapter 2

'Stop' she woke screaming. Calming her racing breath. She was thankful for the silencing charm she had put on her room earlier. Looking around her childhood room she realized Pig had left through the open window and that the sun was still shining in the sky. She hadn't been asleep for to long then. 

She spotted the letters then. Closing her eyes she could only guess what they said. Placing her head back on her pillow. She thought back to the year since the war had ended. The boys had gone off and joined the MLE, going threw the Auror program and graduating. Her very brief romance with Ron that had consisted of one in the moment scared to death kiss during the final battle, had fizzled very quickly in the wake of the death of so many they loved. The short conversation that followed was so stilted neither wanting to hurt the other by saying a relationship born in the ashes had very little chance of surviving in peace. "Maybe someday" Ron had whispered in her ear a sad smile on his face as he let go. 

Hermione had placed her hand on the side of his face and kissed his cheek shook her head. "I don't think we'll be able to heal with something like that hanging over our heads. I'd rather just have my best friend. I don't think who we will become will be who we were before. I love you enough to let you go and find a way to be happy. I think we both know that will probably be with someone else."

They had left it at that. The months before the three of them separated so Hermione could go to Hogwarts with Ginny, she and Ron had become close in a way they hadn't before. As if the relationship they used to want had made it hard for them to find a rhythm where they could just be themselves when it was just the two of them. 

She had asked them both to accompany her to Australia as soon. They both readily agreed unwilling to be so far apart from each other after being together for so long. They healed their bodies, went to more funerals then they ever wished to count, morned as much as they could and sat at as many trails as possible.

The Malfoy trails were the only things the three of them had disagreed on that whole summer. In the end it was only Harry and Hermione who stood up and stopped the mother and son from spending the rest of their lives in Azkaban. Neither felt particularly sorry for the eldest Malfoy and his fate.

With the trails done of they went. With the deadline of September 1 they wasted no time. She had their names and with the help of the Australian Ministry of Magic it only took a few weeks to find them.

With their memories restored. It was a long tough conversation of how and why with Hermione only explaining the bare minimum. Each word felt like fire in her throat and every explanation felt like it would never be enough. She could see their distrust, feel their fear of her of what she had done to them.

As the three friends left that day, promising to return tomorrow. Hermione experienced her first of many panic attacks. The boys unsure of what to do quickly apperated straight into their hotel room and laid on either side of her on the bed. Huddle close together the softly told her that her parents would forgive her. That they would see she was still the same beautiful and kind daughter they loved. She only had to tell her parents the truth of what had really gone on. Nothing could persuade her "A little at a time" she said.

The next day was harder then the first. Her parents could barely look at her. Stating that they needed time. How much they were uncertain. They could not believe it had been so bad to require such drastic measures. Hermione had not corrected them. Just asking if it was alright if she mailed them. At their uneasy look. "Threw the post" she clarified, just wanting them to agree to further communication. Her mother slowly nodded. As they left both boys took one of her hands and at any given point at least one of them held her securely till they where safely back at The Borrow.

All she received from that fateful trip to Australia was a very vague and unsettling relationship with her parents and the start her nightmares and panic attacks. It was if her body had finally caught up with the fact that it was no long in mortal danger. The adrenaline of the last year had kept the monsters at bay, her body just looking for the next problem to fix. Now there was nothing left to fix, all that was left were the memories of pain, terror, and blood.

September 1 came. She hugged both boys as close to her as possible. Boarded the train and focused on her breathing. Each mile took her farther from them then they had been since she had come back from obliverating her parents well over a year ago. A darkness settled over her heart.

She walked to classes, talked to her other friends, and tried to keep the panic from consuming her. She was barely sleeping just stumbling threw her life. Every week she sent an owl to Harry of a letter for him to send threw the muggle post for her parents. 

She was struggling to coup the weight grew every day with no response from them. Then all of the sudden it was Christmas time she had been invited back to The Burrow. She knew she was welcome but the darkness in her heart said she did not deserve any happiness. She ran, ran so hard that she felt the fire in her lungs. Out the doors, sprinting towards the Forbidden Forest as fast as her legs could carry her threw the snow. She broke the tree line and within moments was sorrounded by the quiet stillness that can only be found when no other human was anywhere around. She collapsed tears streaming down her face. It all seemed to catch up, the snow melting into her clothes the chill creeping up into her soul. To this day she was unsure how long she had been out there, breaking.

As the blood stopped pounding in her ears she heard a twig snap. She spun around wand raised. Spell on her lips, addrenaline pumping. As she registered the face she was staring at her brain tried to catch up. What was he doing here. His hands were held up, his face held nothing but concern. He slowly stepped forward "alright?" He had said it so softly. She didn't realize he could speak that way.

"Mal..Malfoy?" She had yet to lower her wand.

'What?' was the last thought she had before collapsing.

. . .

'Stop' she demanded of her self flinging the covers off of herself and standing. She left her childhood bedroom and headed to the bathroom. Stepping in front of the sink splashing water on her face. She didn't want to think of that day and she most definitely did not want to think about Draco Malfoy. 

She didn't know how he had found her or what had happened between the time she had collapsed and the time she had awoken in hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey trying to calm her say she had been close to hyperthermia and if it hadn't been for Malfoy she would probably be dead. She heard a soft "drink this" a dreamless sleep potion and she was out.

Hermione dried of her face and looked herself in the mirror. She had never told anyone that Malfoy had snuck into the ward that night to see her or the conversation that followed. It was hard for her to even think about it, but it was that very conversation that began her healing. The pressure that had been eating on her began to lift. How deep she must have been to not even notice him all year and then all of the sudden he was every where. 

She did end up going with Ginny to The Burrow, avoided the questions about what had happened and then sent the first almost truthful letter to her parents. Though it did not entail how much danger they all had been in. This lead them to come home if only she promised to come live with them once she finished with school. She eagerly agreed.

The rest of the year and threw her NEWT she was more present and was able to smile once more. Though she never spoke to Draco after that night in the hospital wing, she felt his eyes on her. It felt like he was trying to reach into her and put all of the pieces back in place. Though each time she tried to catch him he would quickly be busy doing something else. 

'Stop' she repeated to herself once again. Her parents were down stairs probably worried about her. She needed to breath she put her hand on the door handle and opened the door.

'Go'


	3. Chapter 3

Hermione could hear her parents moving around in the kitchen as she drew near. She took a breath aware that her weird behavior that day would be too much. Either she would have to tell them everything or risk them flaming up as they did in Australia. 

'Move' She took a deep breath and rounded the corner.

Both her parents gazed at her, stopping their movements of getting afternoon tea ready. She paused briefly and then continued in trying to act as casually as possible.

"Hermione" her father said with a nod "tea?" 

"Yes, of course" she replied evenly. Quickly taking her spot at the table doing her best to avoid eye contact.

"That was an awfully long letter you must have needed to write." Her mother sarcastically told her with one eyebrow raised.

Hermione kept working in her tea, as her parents sat stiffly watching her. Hermione's hand twitched as she went to grab the sugar spoon. Jean reached out to grab her hand.

'Danger' it happened quickly. Hermione was on her feet back against the wall wand out, before any of them could register what happened. 

She looked at her parents both frozen, eyes wide, looking at her. Filled with fear because of her. 

'Again' 

As quickly as her wand had come out it was back in its hidden holder at her waist. She raised her hands slowly. Showing she meant no harm.

"I'm sorry" she said as she released the breath she had been holding. "I was getting better." Tears welling in her eyes. She clenched her jaw willing them not to fall.

Her mother was the first to break, bringing her hand to her mouth. "Darling, what happened to you?" She said in quiet anguish, as her other hand clenched at her heart.

"I should have never come back down today" Hermione looked between the two. Her mother looked at her with sadness. Her father sitting there jaw and both fist clenched, more tense then she had ever seen him. She tore her eyes away looking up at the ceiling a year finally falling as she realized that it was all her fault. "I probably should never have agreed to move back here." She finally said softly.

"Don't say things like that" Her father finally breaking his silence. "We just want to understand"

Hermione looked at him, eyes traveling done to his clenched hand. As he realized this he quickly unclenched, patting the table in front of where she normally sat. Their eyes locked for a second before Hermione carefully took a step forward judging her parents readiness for her movements. When they didn't flinch she tried to make slipping into her chair look casual and unforced, the tension still blanketed around them. 

She sat there for a moment collecting her thoughts. "Unfortunately, I'm not entirely sure where to start." She paused taking a sip of her tea trying to calm her racing heart. "I seem to be on edge today?"

"You could start there," her mother replied. When Hermione looked at her questionably, she continued "you seemed fine until you read the paper this morning. You could start there." 

Hermione shook her head quickly. "No, I'm not ready to talk about that. Besides I think it will make you both even more confused."

They all say for a moment "Maybe the very beginning then." Her father said earnestly 

"I guess I should start with why I've kept so much from you. I was scared if you knew the full extent you would have taken me away." Hermoine rested her hands on top of the table. "Would have made me give up something that is an integral part of who I am. Then I was scared not just for me but others like me. Even worse people and creatures who could not protect themselves."

"What do you mean like you?" Her mother asked cautiously. 

"Do you remember back during the first couple years I was at Hogwarts I would say that some people had a problem with the fact that I come from a non-magical line"

"Yes" her father said guardedly.

Hermione but her bottom lip "I may have down played that a little." She rushed it out squeezing the entire sentence in one breath. 

" And what exactly do you mean by that" Her father replied sternly.

"Really, it started over a thousand years ago, when they were first deciding who was going to be allowed to go to Hogwarts. One of the founders did not believe people of my heritage should be allowed in school."

"Why is that important" her mother cried out ath they same time as her father.

"that doesn't make any sense"

"There's a lot of different reasons they gave. Some believe that there is only a certain amount of magic and since people like me don't come from magical stock we must have stolen it from a family who did." She tapped her fingers against the table.

"How is that possible?"

"Logically, it's not. There are way more muggle borns than there are squibs. I really believe it's more about oppression, controlling the wealth, and laws of the wizarding world. And while it has been something that has caused a rift in the past it very rarely has gotten to the point of all out war." 

"You knew this the whole time in school?" Her mother accused her.

"Not exactly…" she exhauled loudly, looking at her finger tips avoiding eye contact. "Well.." she hesitated again "I guess. I just thought because the first war had ended and almost all of the people that were responsible for it were either dead, had had the kiss, or were serving a lifetime sentence in Azkaban. It was just basic discrimination at first. I had found a place regardless of where I belonged. Friends, people I trusted with my life."

"You shouldn't have to trust somebody with your life at 11 Hermione"

"It's different when you have magic." Hermione preplied passionetly. "You go to learn to control it, as much as anything. If you don't go accidental magic is even more dangerous. You remember some of the things that happened that were strange before I learned that I was a witch. It's why parents of muggle born children are rarely surprised when someone shows up on their doorstep to tell them their child is magical. Being magical is dangerous. It's dangerous to learn, it's dangerous to not learn. It's dangerous for those around you and if not wielded properly dangerous for yourself. But on the other side magic can be limitless. There is so much beauty in it so much good can come from it. The strongest magic is pure. What comes from magic is almost always about intention. It is a boarding school for a reason. They don't let you do magic outside of school before your 17 for a reason. In my world it is just accepted as fact that as you learn magic you can get hurt and can hurt others. Hell they let children play the most ridiculously dangerous game on broomsticks only 1st years are not allowed."

"You fly on broomsticks I thought that was a myth?" Her father exclaimed excitedly.

"Oh heavens no I hate it avoid it at all cost. Which is why I've never mentioned it before, though I have flown on other things.." She stopped.

"What do you mean other things?" Her mother demanded.

"I suppose that is why we are talking to get it all out. I road a dragon once."

"A dragon?!" Her father exclaimed.

"Yes it wasn't intentional but we needed to get out of Gringotts fast"

"What? Why? Isn't that just a bank?"

She bit her lip. "We had just robbed the place."

"What" it came out as a squeak from her mother.

"Ok we're getting ahead of ourselves a little bit. Don't worry I'm not going to jail. The goblins will probably get over it in a few hundred years and it was completely necessary. We would not be here today if I had not done it."

"You were much more involved in the conflict then you let us believe weren't you?" Her father asked gingerly.

Hermione robbed her arm where her scare was.

"Yes" she replied in kind. "in fact, there are very few people in my world who do not know who I am on site." She folded her hands in her lap and leaned forward.

Her parents looked at her slack jawed. 

"It was why I did what I did to you." She spoke very delicately "I know you felt helpless when I restored your memories but the people we were fighting.." she shuddered but continued on. "The things they would have done to you. It would not have.." she took a deep breath. "It would have been very slow and very painful all because you were my parents. I thought of just sending you away, putting you in a safe house, but I knew where I was going what I was going to have to do. I might not have come back and eventually you would have come looking for me. You two would have been a prize to them, Hermione Granger's parents." She closed her eyes willing herslef to he through the rest. "I may have lost some of your trust but believe me when I say what I did to you I did out of love. And I'm so sorry for it."

They all say silently for a long while. Hermione's mother slowly so her daughter could see, slid her hands across the table and invaded hmeriomes in her own. "There's more isn't there?"

"So much" Hermione heaved out. "But all you really have to know today is that the bad guys are really dead this time. Pretty much everyone's dead this time."

"Will you tell us more sometime" whispered her father taking her other hand gingerly in his.

"If you wish, but please no more today"

'Relief'


End file.
